On the morning of March 10, 2024, around 6 a.m., a car driven at high speed crashed into the living room of Claudine, 70 years old. The Corpopétrussienne thought it was a plane crash. Before discovering a car instead of the brand new sofa where she had planned to sleep that night. “Luckily, at the last moment, I preferred my bed to him. When I got up, there was smoke everywhere. I only saw later that there were still people inside the car. »
One of the passengers was injured, the driver had fled… He presented himself, a little later, as the owner of the vehicle which he claimed was stolen. Confused by his stained clothes and an injury to his face, he was arrested in the morning.
“I would like him to ask me for forgiveness”
Claudine, still relocated to a studio in Tours, dreads the moment when she will see him again. It will be Tuesday October 15, 2024, during an appearance procedure on prior admission of guilt (CRPC). The young man is accused of several offenses: speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and another hit-and-run. The driver will first go before the prosecutor, then before a judge who, after listening to the civil parties – Claudine and at least one passenger – will validate the sentence or not. In the event of failure, Tourangeau will be tried in criminal court on February 25, 2025.
The septuagenarian decided to appear at the hearing: “He is 24 years old and has his life to do, I don’t want to burden him, but I would like him to ask me for forgiveness. I’ve been waiting for a little word from him these past few months. But nothing came. »
If she seems to be moving forward, cuddling her little dog Victor, “adopted six months ago to get better”Claudine does not hide her bouts of tears, sometimes. “I had psychological follow-up. But as soon as a door slams or a car passes too fast, I’m afraid… Often I hide, because I have to get through it. »
“A reinforced concrete wall to protect me”
Three weeks after the accident, another car ended up in his garden, tearing off his new electric meter and the wooden panels serving as a gate. “I wrote to the town hall to obtain accommodation, without response. » The establishment of a one-way street has been mentioned, without confirmation for the moment.
Claudine, who also believes that the speed bump acts as a springboard, decided to take the lead. “I am going to have a reinforced concrete wall built to protect myself. » Because despite the anxiety, the septuagenarian, who has lived in this house since 1978, decided to stay there. “I saw my children grow up there and my husband, who died three years ago, renovated it almost alone…”
As soon as the assessments were completed in July, Claudine decided to clean everything up and start the work. “My brother is in the business, he helps me with the businesses. Everything needs to be redone, the French window, the partitions, the staircase, the rendering of the facade…” The project is progressing well, but its insurance has still not paid anything. “For rehousing and work, she promised me €55,000. It’s going to be fair. And above all, it drags. I call the insurance company regularly and in the meantime, I live on my reserves. Luckily I had some! »
And search for documents on his computer. “Everything is done by email, now, it’s not easy for me. CIt’s full of little things like that that come together. You have to stay strong! »
